Forgiveness

[Brighten04]

On the cross, Jesus prayed, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." I think He recognized that it was a work of satan that caused them to hate Him without cause. So we cannot forget the spiritual battle that we are in, for our struggle is not with flesh and blood, but with spiritual forces in high places.So, when people are hurtful to us, we have to remember that evil spirits provoke them to do it.

 

[user1234]

On the cross, Jesus prayed, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." I think He recognized that it was a work of satan that caused them to hate Him without cause. So we cannot forget the spiritual battle that we are in, for our struggle is not with flesh and blood, but with spiritual forces in high places.So, when people are hurtful to us, we have to remember that evil spirits provoke them to do it.

Yes! But wow, I'm learning that you have to watch sometimes, when and where and to who you say that to. Yikes! But still, those causing Deliberate harm should be stopped.

 

[Lamb]

It's always good to think before you say something, "Would I say this to Jesus if He were the one in front of me?"

 

[~Jo~]

I just feel sometimes the passed should be left there, its there for a reason why keep dragging it up, it doesn't really do any good and just hurts more than if you left it behind and just moved on with your life. but what do I know .. except I wouldn't keep trying to make friends with someone that left me for someone else they thought better than me.. and it wasn't my fault they left in the first place but there's..

 

[user1234]

It's always good to think before you say something, "Would I say this to Jesus if He were the one in front of me?"

If that were the case, though, (depending on the situation) then Jesus Himself, nor Paul, Peter, or any of the rest of most of the 'writers' of the bible, would have been able to say some of what they said, and most likely they would be banned from many websites in todays era. Sometimes it's a matter of perception.

I just feel sometimes the passed should be left there, its there for a reason why keep dragging it up, it doesn't really do any good and just hurts more than if you left it behind and just moved on with your life. but what do I know .. except I wouldn't keep trying to make friends with someone that left me for someone else they thought better than me.. and it wasn't my fault they left in the first place but there's..

Gosh, ~Jo~, can I relate. That is pain like no other, being left out in the cold like that. If there's common conversation, and you come to mutual agreement, that for whatever the reasons, you'd need to part ways, but keep God's grace and well-wishes, then perhaps, if sadly, that must be. But to have no explanation, or a rather bad one, or have it thrown at you as if it's you're fault, or EVEN in some cases, it might be, but there's no grace, mercy or forgiveness, in all those scenarios, to be left with that emptiness, really hurts deep.

It was my fault 30 years ago when a relationship ended, but it wasn't me leaving for another or anything. I was the one who lost out big time then, but I was still in the wrong. Since then, it's been friendships here or there, maybe some hopefulness that didn't come to fruition, but, yes, it hurts when you're just left hanging.

(But I figure every guy is better than me anyway,
so I dont blame anyone for leaving). Kidding. Sort of.
(Their running and screaming is a bit extreme, tho ... Lol)

But seriously, I'm kind of sorry you didn't finish your post, but I won't pry, but if someone treated you like that, shame on them, ..... But, You've got a friend here that can commiserate, tho.
And I agree about not digging up the past to open old wounds.
In fact, love harbors no grudges or brings things up remembering past wrongs, (1Cor13, easier said than done), but really, what good can come of it, except if it's agreed to say sorry, and reconcile in God's grace? But to bring up old wounds only to cause new ones isn't a good idea. :hug2:

 

[hotrhymez]

Sometimes I just wish everyone could stay in our lives forever..but I know that its not always that easy....and on the other hand..if everyone we ever met stayed in our lives constantly our lives would probably be chaos..i guess not everyone is meant to stay in our lives forever..and digging up the past never helps...but reconciliation is still a great thing to try before booting people out of our lives forever...or at least I thought it was...

Confused? Yeah I think I am too...lol

 

[Rens]

Sometimes I just wish everyone could stay in our lives forever..but I know that its not always that easy....and on the other hand..if everyone we ever met stayed in our lives constantly our lives would probably be chaos..i guess not everyone is meant to stay in our lives forever..and digging up the past never helps...but reconciliation is still a great thing to try before booting people out of our lives forever...or at least I thought it was...

Confused? Yeah I think I am too...lol

Reconciliation is good, but if someone can't or doesn't want to change, some people are bad company or get you into trouble, but that's extremes. Normally yes it's good to reconcile.

 

[Brighten04]

I just feel sometimes the passed should be left there, its there for a reason why keep dragging it up, it doesn't really do any good and just hurts more than if you left it behind and just moved on with your life. but what do I know .. except I wouldn't keep trying to make friends with someone that left me for someone else they thought better than me.. and it wasn't my fault they left in the first place but there's..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZfGTL2PY3E

 

[JPPT1974]

It is never easy to forgive an enemy like a friend. But it is a must. Remember Jesus did so on the Cross and also forgave Peter afterwards for denying Him.

 

[Cassia]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZfGTL2PY3E

Awesome lol

The only way to change the past is to change how to look at it.

 

[user1234]

Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost.
After we're saved, we're a new creation, the former things are gone, behold, all things are become new.
And He changes us from the inside out. Some ppl stumble over the same things for a while, while others seem to get an instant delivery.

Just like some ppl get a physical healing like a miracle, others may suffer a while with some ailment. Same with emotional or mental healings as well.
But as saved members of Christ's body, we should look after each other as wounded family members on the mend, and all of us (many of us) have a past we're none too proud of.

Some people accuse us as having Jesus as a crutch. Lol Ha! He's the whole hospital!
He's the ambulance that comes to get you. He's the emergency room. Sometimes He's the x-ray dept. to see whats going on inside. There's different floors with different specialty areas, different folks occupying the various trauma areas, surgeries going on, including heart and brain, (yup), there's even places where folks are waiting, maybe some just need some r + r, some are in recovery, and some are on their way home.

We do well to remember that we're all in it by God's grace, and hold forth forgiveness as a means of helping each other on the path of healing that we're all on.
And we WILL get there, because our Saviour Jesus won the victory for us, and don't forget, that in most hospitals, there's a chapel or prayer room, and Jesus is there praying for us ... He's not only our Great Physician, He's our Great High Priest, He ever lives to make intercession for us, and Jesus surely knows how pray! How cool is that?! And His will will be done.....Our God is about forgiveness, how can we not be?

 

[~Jo~]

Nope sorry don't agree with anyone on this thread .. People come into our lives and some stay, some leave,and some you never want to see ever again. I really dont see what god or jesus has to do with being friends or not with someone.. I know if I like someone or not as Im sure most people do, but I also know when Im being treated like an idiot and let people walk all over me . well that was then it wont happen ever again because I wont be there to let it..I made friends with a women was friends with her going on a year and then she decided I wasn't what she needed anymore even tho I was there for her through some really bad times for her, then this other girl comes along who I know from nowhere and they both hit it off big time and that's when I got cut out of it seems I wasn't wanted or good enough and she left me for this other person. Then she blamed me for not talking to her when it was her fault. I did nothing wrong and was really upset and hurt by her actions, so I decided that's it no more .. I ran a chat room back then with a friend and she asked if they could come in I said yes I guess so, but I was really happy about it but let them in., that lasted about a night when I asked my friend what happened to them she said that I banned them from coming back and I never and told her go check the log she did and said I'm so sorry Jo I believed them and not you.. So it wasn't my fault and that's when I said this is enough and never spoke to her again, and haven't for 5/6 years . so now you know why I think going back to the past would never work ... Hotrhymez knows who this person is and why he opened this thread because they treated him badly to. but he would still go back there today.. but that's his choice not mine.. its all very well trying to make a go of things, but the trust factor must come into it to.. If they did it once who's to say it wont happen again.

And showing me a clip from the lion king a film, I think I watched everyday for years when looking after an Autistic boy means nothing . Simba's dad Mufasa was killed trying to save his son, and his brother scar lied and blamed simba.. right so whats the point of the clip, he just went back and sorted it out. I tried that to and they lied about me .. these where born again christians makes you think eh. story over ..

 

[psalms 91]

Wow Jo, sorry you werre treated so badly. I trust that we havent done that to you.

 

[Rens]

Forgiving doesn't mean hanging out and restoring contact. If someone isn't sorry and hasn't changed, better stay away.
I forgave the guy who ruined my bike, but to put it there again would be stupid.

 

[Rens]

Nope sorry don't agree with anyone on this thread .. People come into our lives and some stay, some leave,and some you never want to see ever again. I really dont see what god or jesus has to do with being friends or not with someone.. I know if I like someone or not as Im sure most people do, but I also know when Im being treated like an idiot and let people walk all over me . well that was then it wont happen ever again because I wont be there to let it..I made friends with a women was friends with her going on a year and then she decided I wasn't what she needed anymore even tho I was there for her through some really bad times for her, then this other girl comes along who I know from nowhere and they both hit it off big time and that's when I got cut out of it seems I wasn't wanted or good enough and she left me for this other person. Then she blamed me for not talking to her when it was her fault. I did nothing wrong and was really upset and hurt by her actions, so I decided that's it no more .. I ran a chat room back then with a friend and she asked if they could come in I said yes I guess so, but I was really happy about it but let them in., that lasted about a night when I asked my friend what happened to them she said that I banned them from coming back and I never and told her go check the log she did and said I'm so sorry Jo I believed them and not you.. So it wasn't my fault and that's when I said this is enough and never spoke to her again, and haven't for 5/6 years . so now you know why I think going back to the past would never work ... Hotrhymez knows who this person is and why he opened this thread because they treated him badly to. but he would still go back there today.. but that's his choice not mine.. its all very well trying to make a go of things, but the trust factor must come into it to.. If they did it once who's to say it wont happen again.

And showing me a clip from the lion king a film, I think I watched everyday for years when looking after an Autistic boy means nothing . Simba's dad Mufasa was killed trying to save his son, and his brother scar lied and blamed simba.. right so whats the point of the clip, he just went back and sorted it out. I tried that to and they lied about me .. these where born again christians makes you think eh. story over ..

If they're not sorry and haven't apologized to you, but were super sweet to me, I wouldn't hang out with them.

 

[user1234]

So sorry ~Jo~ that hurts .... I know exactly what you mean with that kind of situation.
And the internet is a breeding ground for phoniness, fake friendship, gossip, backstabbing ..... It's just too easy to be A: Misunderstood on the one hand, and B: Taken advantage of on the other.

I think what some folks are trying to say here, though, is forgiveness should be one of our character traits, as genuine christians, but it does come easier for some than others. It amazes me when I hear real horror stories of how some of our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world are treated, especially in muslum countries, and yet they find the grace to forgive. It's remarkable, and I'm often thinking, 'Not me, no way, I could never forgive that kind of torture or abuse'.
But I don't know that ANY of us could forgive to certain degrees without the grace of God in the first place, and I guess He provides what we need when we need it.

But Jesus did say, 70×7 , and He didn't add, 'unless you don't want to'.
And He is looking out for us ... He knows that if we withhold forgiveness, it harms us more, as it gives time for resentments and a root of bitterness to spring up.
That becomes a joy-killer, robbing us of the fruit of the spirit and the rejoicing that God wants, even commands, of us.

Of course, He doesn't want us to be abused, but more important, He wants us to have love, joy, and peace in our lives, and unforgiveness is in conflict with that.

 

[user1234]

If they're not sorry and haven't apologized to you, but were super sweet to me, I wouldn't hang out with them.

I feel the same way.
Of course, I believe ~Jo's~ story here, absolutely, but there are many instances where a person only has a portion of the facts, there are sometimes things under the surface, or we dont see clearly because of bias one way or the other, and it clouds our judgement or we react unfairly.

And I can recall at least one instance in my life when someone broke off one friendship in support of another, only to realize later on that they didnt have the whole story, they judged unfairly, and hurt the first person, and a friendship, in the process. In fact, I'm pretty sure I was guilty of it myself long ago. But there was alot of paranoia and mistrust in those days, I pray I never return to that. By God's grace, I won't.

As christians, though, I think we have a higher calling, and when God says, 'Let brotherly love continue', that includes not withholding forgiveness, or contrition either, or the hand of friendship/fellowship. We can't control others, but we can pray for them, and ourselves, and ask God for grace, wisdom and a willing heart.

 

[Brighten04]

And showing me a clip from the lion king a film, I think I watched everyday for years when looking after an Autistic boy means nothing . Simba's dad Mufasa was killed trying to save his son, and his brother scar lied and blamed simba.. right so whats the point of the clip, he just went back and sorted it out. I tried that to and they lied about me .. these where born again christians makes you think eh. story over ..

Oh man! Jo,I posted the clip, but it was not aimed at you! We are discussing forgiveness, and the point of the clip imho is don't dwell on past hurts. It is not a healthy thing to do. Bitterness eats us from the inside out, so if we refuse to forgive we get stuck and bitterness grows like a weed, even in Christians. And the Word of God gets choked out of our lives.
Lord Jesus taught us in the parable of the sower.
Mark 4: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them

Mark 4:13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” NIV

Now the word of God is a mirror. When we look into a mirror, we check ourselves out to make sure we are presenting well. If we see hair out of place or makeup wrong, etc, we make the necessary adjustments according to our reflection in the mirror. You know something else about the mirror? We can't correct anyone else by what we see in the mirror. We can only correct ourselves. So, forgiveness is more about us than it is about the person we are forgiving imho.

So someone did you wrong. Forgive them, but set up some boundaries that make you less vulnerable. People are mean, some meaner than others. But don't let their actions harden your heart to the point where the word of truth gets choked out.

 

[user1234]

Hey, Brighten04 .... Lol Did ya copy from my last paragraph and sentence from post #36??? Or is it just great minds think alike lol !!! I'll opt for the latter and 'forgive you' !
:wink: jk

 

[Brighten04]

Hey, Brighten04 .... Lol Did ya copy from my last paragraph and sentence from post #36??? Or is it just great minds think alike lol !!! I'll opt for the latter and 'forgive you' !
:wink: jk

.

No I didn't brother. Let's just say it is Holy Spirit touching and agreeing. There are a lot of good posts on this thread.